EP2231488A1

EP2231488A1 - Pharmaceutical closure

Info

Publication number: EP2231488A1
Application number: EP08869093A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Albert Louis Victor Jozef Claessens
Original assignee: Helvoet Pharma NV; Helvoet Pharma Belgium NV
Current assignee: Helvoet Pharma NV; Datwyler Pharma Packaging Belgium NV
Priority date: 2007-12-27
Filing date: 2008-12-17
Publication date: 2010-09-29
Also published as: US20090166311A1; WO2009083458A1

Abstract

A pharmaceutical closure (2) is made from rubber or thermoplastic elastomer and has an amount of TiO2 and/ or Sb2O3 present in the closure. The closure has a marking (7) made by laser thereon. A method for manufacturing the closure consists of producing a rubber sheet, forming a plurality of closures on the rubber sheet, with the closures remaining integrally connected with each other through remaining sheet parts, marking each of the closures with a laser marking, and separating the closures from each other by punching.

Description

PHARMACEUTICAL CLOSURE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the use of marking applied by laser on a pharmaceutical closure made from rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Further, the invention is concerned with such pharmaceutical closures and a method of making such closures.

2. The Prior Art

Pharmaceutical closures as mentioned before are already widely known. For example, such closures are described in European Patent Nos. EP 0322547, EP 1 010635, and US Patent No. 6,241,112.

Such closures can be used on a vial or a cartridge or a syringe or other articles such as so-called bottle packs. It can be also used for example as a protective cap for a syringe ("tip-cap", see e.g. WO 2008/059863 Al) or a needle, see e.g. US 6,629,963 B2 or US 7,387,617 B2 or as a closure inside a barrel of a syringe. It can be used as a plunger, for example such plungers having a rod as in a syringe, as for example disclosed in US 7,296,566 B2. All of these closures are in direct contact with a pharmaceutical substance over an extended period of time. In general, it can be a closure for or a closure part as such or for a receptacle or an instrument used for parental medicine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a desire to have a clear indication on whether such closure is an authorized product by a producer and maybe also in terms of other information such as when it has been produced and where, for example in which factory. On the other hand, pharmaceutical articles need to be produced very carefully. They must not contain any matter which could bring harm to a person for which a medicine contained in such receptacle as a vial, syringe, etc., sealed with such article, is used.

Based on this, the invention provides a laser marking which does change the structure of TiO₂ or Sb₂O₃ respectively, contained in the article, such that on a surface of such article an image is created. More particularly, the according to what one can realize, at least structure of TiO₂ is changed on the molecular level. The image can be a trade name, a logo, a series of digits, an ornamental design, etc. It has been discovered that it is possible to have such pharmaceutical articles based on rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer with an amount of TiO₂ and/ or Sb₂O₃, wherein at least in a surface of the article, TiO₂ and/ or Sb₂O₃ is present in such an amount that it can be influenced by the laser in terms of making the mentioned image. TiO₂, titanium dioxide, is a substance which is useable in pharmaceutical articles without any restriction. Also a use Sb₂O₃ instead of or additionally to TiO₂ is an option. The TiO₂ or Sb₂O₃ respectively is preferably homogenously distributed in the article. It has been demonstrated in laboratory tests that the laser-marking on stoppers does not have an influence on the quality of a stopper.

Such stoppers are usually made from a pharmaceutical rubber. A halobutyl rubber such as chlorobutyl rubber or bromobutyl rubber is preferred. Besides this also a thermoplastic elastomer is possible.

It is also possible, that the pharmaceutical closure is covered by a cap, for example a protection cap or is arranged within a housing or is by any means overtaken by a part, which makes the closure at least partly invisible. Such cap or other means may be moveable or turnable such, that for example through a window or a transparent area in the means, the closure or part thereof becomes visible for a user. Thereby it is possible, that the laser-marked surface on the closure becomes exposed and indicates the activation of the medical device, of which the closure makes part.

The table below gives an overview of tests according to Japanese Pharmacopeia. As samples, pharmaceutical stoppers have been used. In the test, a non-marked sample of a commercial high quality rubber grade is compared to 2 samples in the same rubber grade but with a 60% and 80% intensity laser-marking over the entire surface of the sample. A normal text marking would only cover <5% of the closure surface. Nevertheless these completely marked samples are fully compliant to the Japanese pharmacopeia.

Tests are performed according to Japanese Pharmacopoeia 14^th Ed., Part 1, Chapter 59 "Rubber Closures for Aqueous Infusions".

It is preferred, to use a Nd:YVU4 laser. The wave length of the laser is preferred in the range < 400 nanometer (nm) especially 350 nm, even more preferred 355 nm. In a preferred embodiment, the closure consists of a thermoplastic elastomer, such as described in European Patent Nos. EP 1 192 092 Bl and EP 1 400 458 Bl, both of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Some pharmaceutical parts in form of closures, also sometimes referred to as stoppers, have a region of reduced thickness related to its upper surface, and an injection area within this region. In one embodiment, the marking made with the laser in the above-described manner, is preferably made outside of the injection area. As an alternative, it can also be provided inside the injection area. The injection area is the part of the pharmaceutical part which is open for inspection at the time of injecting, for example a needle. In case the marking is in this area, the user can confirm for himself that he is using a correct article.

It is also preferred to have the marking on a pharmaceutical closure for a vial, which is covered by a protection cap. This is described, for example, in US Patent No. 6,868,978 B2. Such a protection cap has either an inner opening or a (separate) cover part, which can be torn off or in any other way taken away, such that a central region of the closure gets exposed. With this embodiment, it is preferred that the marking is on an area of the closure that it is also covered in use by the protection cap. On the other hand, the marking is preferred to be on an upper surface of the closure, such that in case also the remaining part of the protection cap is removed, one can easily inspect the marking.

Especially it is also possible to make on the inner side of the product, which inner side is not or not easy to see during usual use of the product. Such a marking can be of advantage as an anti-counterfeit measure. The marking can be e.g. inside of a plunger. The marking can be as a digit, a logo, a number or any other code. The plunger can be especially a plunger inside a syringe or a cartridge. The logo, number etc. inside such plunger is not only on the side of the product being not in contact with the medical substance, but is also covered by a cover means and is only exposed upon mechanically detaching such cover means. Such cover means can be e.g. a rod, usually a plastic rod, which in case of a plunger is sticked or screwed into such plunger.

Pharmaceutical rubber closures are usually compression molded. However, such parts and also other parts can also be injection molded. In case of compression molding, further the stoppers are preferably molded on sheets containing multiple closures. The closures are subsequently punched from the sheet. As a last process, the rubber closures are washed and eventually siliconized. It is a preferred embodiment, that the marking is applied on the closures or other parts made out of sheets, while they are still on the sheets. This way, the quality of the print is not affected by the lubricant used in the punching process. Also, the quality of the final siliconization is not affected by the lasermarking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing is designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

The drawing shows in a cross section a vial having a closure, and the closure covered by a protection cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the Figure, there is shown part of a vial 1 with a closure 2, being a stopper. The closure 2 consists of a pharmaceutical rubber grade.

Closure 2 is covered by a protection cap 3 which has an upper opening part 4, which can be removed for using the medicine contained in the vial. Once upper part 4 is removed, the upper middle surface 5 of the closure is exposed. One can thereupon inject through the closure 2 a needle for removing medicine 6 contained in vial 1.

Further, the closure 2 has a marking 7 on its upper surface 5, but in a region of surface 5 being still covered by the remaining part 8 of protection cap 3 after part 4 has been removed.

Only for the purpose of showing the marking in the drawings, it has been extended in the cross section to some extent below the surface. In practice, the layer in which the marking, performed by changing of the TiO₂, will be very thin, in the micrometer range.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A pharmaceutical closure made from rubber or thermoplastic elastomer and having an amount of TiO₂ or Sb₂O₃, present in the closure, wherein the closure has a marking made by laser thereon.

2. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 1, wherein the closure is for a receptacle or an instrument used for a parental drug.

3. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 1, wherein the marking is made in an upper surface of the closure, when the part is in use.

4. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 3, wherein the upper surface has a region of reduced thickness and an injection area within said region of reduced thickness, and wherein the marking is provided outside of the injection area.

5. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 3, wherein the upper surface has a region of reduced thickness and an injection area within said region of reduced thickness, and wherein the marking is provided inside of the injection area.

6. A pharmaceutical closure according claim 1, further comprising a protection cap covering the closure and having an opening that allows penetration of the closure with a needle, wherein the marking is also covered by the protection cap.

7. A pharmaceutical closure according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the laser marking is made on a surface, which is in use an inner surface.

8. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 7, wherein the inner surface is covered with a cover means and is only exposed upon mechanically detaching such cover means.

9. A method for manufacturing pharmaceutical closures made from rubber having an amount of TiO₂ and/ or Sb₂O₃, comprising the following steps: producing a rubber sheet; forming a plurality of closures on the rubber sheet, said closures remaining integrally connected with each other through remaining sheet parts; marking each of the closures with a laser marking; and separating the closures from each other by punching.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the separated closures are washed.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the separated closures are siliconized.

12. A pharmaceutical closure according to claim 1, wherein the exposure of the laser marked surface indicates the activation of the medical device of which the closure makes part.